leatha_g

Where do you live? If you were to be banded in the US, you'd want someone relatively close for your follow up and any incidentals like fills, complications, etc. Have you checked out the surgeon locator at www.lap-band.com ?? That might be a good place to start seeing exactly who is in your area. Welcome to the forum!

Welcome jeo!! Glad to have you join us! Feel free to check out all the different sections for information and experience shared by everyone! Congratulations on the decision to take your life back!! Welcome!

You're first fill may not always be the fill that gives you the much needed restriction. Depending on your dr, he/she may prefer to 'creep up' on the restriction or be aggressive with larger fills. Sometimes, it takes up to 2 and 3 fills before you really get to that place where you can eat enough to be satisfied but still manage to lose weight. I've had three fills since i was rebanded in July and I'm still not having the restriction I need. It will come, but we have to do our own parts too, which is learning to make better choices about the foods we put in our mouths and the amounts too. Until you get to that place of restriction, you sort of have to 'white knuckle' it for a spell. You're not alone, we've all had to find that place by trial and error. Patience... it took us many years to get here, it may take us a little while to get back to where we want to be too. I think the rule of thumb is, if you are getting in all your Water, getting exercise, not snacking, getting in all your Protein and not eating sweets. If you are Still not losing after a minimum of 2 weeks, maximum of 4, you should consider having another fill. Each doc has his own set of rules, however.

I've heard it said on some other groups that some have better luck with the fluid not disipating by using a percentage of contrast solution and a percentage of saline with the swedish band. Some folks bring it home with them from France, Belgium, etc.

It is my understanding that as we lose weight, so do we lose a certain amount of tissue where our band is, thus causing the band to loosen with time. So, every so many weeks/months we might possibly need to adjust our bands accordingly. Makes sense to me. It also makes sense to me that everyone loses differently, so I may lose mostly in my legs and behind while someone else may lose more in the their waist. This could be the explanation for some needing more fills than others? Just a guess..

Really? Where's that at? lol.

WOOHOO!! You Go Audreyz!!

Well, that's great news!! thanks for updating us. :-)

I went back to traveling two weeks post-op, however, I took short trips so that I could carry lighter luggage. The eating thing can be tricky, but I stayed with Soups, eggs, things like meatloaf, mashed potatoes, tuna/chicken salad, crabcakes, Protein drinks. Try not to wear clothes that will bind across your port incision as the days can get long if you are uncomfortable and sore. Like my doc said, do what pain allows. I would advise, however, that you find yourself some anti-embolism compression socks to fly in (I use the trouser socks every time I fly), just as a precaution. This close to surgery and flying can always be a dangerous combination that helps to cause clots in your legs or lungs. Better safe and unfashionable than sorry, from someone who's been there. Have a great trip!

This sounds much more like you may have the 11cm Vanguard by Inamed. the 9.75cc ONLY holds up to 4ccs. Let us know what you find out.

I'm in Plano. It's northwest of me by about 8 miles. (To me, it just seems like an extension of Dallas. I hate how the one city converges upon another.)

Sorry to hear this news, Alex. But, I'm glad your doc seems to be on the ball enough to try to prevent any problems. There seems to be some confusion about what they are to be looking for and what they are actually seeing on flouro sometimes. I wished there were some 'cut and dry' rules. I thought I'd repost this post from 'Slipped Bands' on Yahoo Groups. It made a lot of sense to me. I sometimes really think my rebanding might have been unnecessary. Take what you can use and leave the rest. This is not about ME or Anyone I know. I am reposting from another group board. ************************************************************* Just wanted to give everyone a quick update on my daughter's band that we thought had slipped. It's been a while since we've posted, sorry. Basically, we had just been doing our fills at a radiologist's office, and he was the one that said the band had slipped and we should get it taken out (quite a drastic response, eh?) Anyway, we decided to take a trip to Mexico to see our surgeon, assuming she'd need an operation. In the meantime we took out all the fill and she gained 20-30 pounds. When we got to Mexico, the surgeon checked her band--xraying while she was standing up. Basically, there was no slippage, the band had been filled too tight. He says slippage symptoms are very severe, that what can be diagnosed as a slipped band can just be a too tight fill. When a band is slipped, he said the stomach basically bends over on itself and it is difficult for someone to even swallow their spit--those kind of symptoms. He thinks a lot of American doctors are looking at the xxrays of the stomach expand like it is meant to (above the band), clicking the xray, and assuming the band is has slipped down. SO, we spent a lot of money to find out that the band was working properly. SO, I'd be cautious when your doctor says it's slipped...I'd have them xray it when I was standing up and remember that the stomach is supposed to expand some above the band, but it doesn't always mean a slip. He said that the American doctors who haven't had as much surgical training on the band often pull away alot of tissue or muscles or whatever surrounds the stomach leaving quite a bit of room for the band to move around, but some of the Mexican surgeons use a technique where they just pull away enough tissue to thread the band around the stomach in the right position. The remaining tissue that has not been loosened up makes a channel for the band that makes it very difficult for the band to move anywhere. He said has never had a truly slipped band because of this technique. Our surgeon also said that because our doctor was using only contrast Fluid to fill the band, it somehow gets thicker and slowly causes more and more constriction on the band. He says they (mexican surgeons) have learned that they should use only half contrast and half saline solution. He also mentioned that the saline slowly and gradually evaporates or somehow is absorbed into the body and that is another reason why people with only saline may need another fill from time to time. We all know the band is fickle--sometimes seeming tighter than at other times. He said that people make a mistake by not switching back to fluids and letting their stomach heal after vomitting or PBing. There is swelling that occurs from this trama and that to continue eating as normal only compounds the swelling. If a person keeps vomitting that leads to more swelling, etc. and sometimes a slipped band is diagnosed when it really hasn't slipped. Sorry this is so long, but I thought it was good information and made a lot of sense to us. He added fluid back to her band and she has been doing great. I'm proud of her because I know this has not been an easy go. It is hard to retrain yourself to eat correctly and chew right and keep away from sticky foods. She has never been sorry she got the band, though.

Seems like Xenical and Meridia for 2 yrs would qualify anyway. I don't recall which hoops you're trying to avoid, but I would say that any medical testing required would be for your own safety and benefit. Good luck to you!

Some have, yes. And there are those of us who did not. I was unfilled from June 14, to July 16th, then rebanded and remained unfilled until August 27th. I was terrified at first, because I COULD eat anything I wanted. Admittedly, visions of burgers and fries were the first thing to hit my head, but immediately I stopped myself and reminded myself of how hard I had worked the year before to learn new eating habits and how bad I did NOT want to return to where I had started. So, I just continued trying to make wise choices. I can say that I did not and do not always make the best choices and I have never really deprived myself of anything that I seriously wanted, but I was able to maintain my weight loss and even lost an additional 5 lb during this time. On the day before my re-banding, I rewarded myself with the (child size) burger and fries, simply because I had NOT run straight to it while I could. I'm really having more trouble now that I've been rebanded and had a couple of fills than I did while unfilled. It is scary, but you can do it. Just keep doing what you've been doing!! Good luck to you and I hope everything recovers without any further procedures required.

(((((((Penni))))))) I'm so sorry to hear of yet another blow to your heart. Sheesh, I'm sitting here at work with big old alligator tears. I'm really sorry for yours and your daughters sadness over these losses. Love ya, Leatha

I can swing the $100 if need be, but I'll do whatever the crowd does. I'm easy.

Good luck with your Endo!! I wished we could all be there waiting on you when they wheel you out of recovery after your surgery. I dunno why, I guess because brothers are special that way.

Woohoo!! She is? That's wonderful!! I can't wait to meet everyone!

Poor Ryan, , but this is your initiation into the Banded Bellies Association. Smile, you're about to become a banded brother.

You're quite welcome, m'dear. Tis true, too...

Welcome Pam!! Glad to hear everything went well for you! Please feel free to browse all the sections of the forum. There is much knowledge and experience to be had! Again, Welcome! Leatha Plano, Texas

I think I only lost like 12 lbs my first month. I'm sure that was Water from around my ankles too. Something else to consider, if you are on the lighter end of the scale, you're loss will definitely be slower. It's okay. 10 years from now, no one will care if you lost 50 or 100lbs in a year. They'll just be glad you're still alive..

i sure ain't no math/science teacher but doesn't cc pertain to liquid volume and cm pertain to length or width? so, an inamed band may be 9.75 cm (long) but it holds up to 4cc's (liquid volume) in it's bladder. ??? correct me if i'm just stoooopid. lol

We'll probably stay long enough to have lunch, leaving probably at least by 3 or 4pm. Would that allow you enough time?

Good for you! Well, I think if we can meet up with these ladies, it will be a great treat for you all. I'll see if I can find out what their plans are.